Peace, Fruit of the Spirit

The Crucible of Peace

Please turn in your Bibles to Galatians 5 & place a mark in Daniel 3.

In our message today we will

Have an involved introduction about Peace

See how peace was worked out in the lives of 3 men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedneggo.

We will see that we can have peace when:

-Everyone is watching

-When we face death, and when

-When obedience is difficult

-Finally we will see that the Prince of peace stands with us in the crucible.

Read Galatians 5:22-23

Pray

Intro

How do you find Peace in your life?

When we get stressed at our job we think … If I could just go on vacation, but

Peace is not found in the lack of stress.

When the kids get loud and they complain at home we think, I can’t wait for school to start back, then I’ll get peace. but

Peace is not found in quiet.

When we have had a hard day we think, If I could just go home eat that one thing I love and pull back in my recliner I would have peace, but

Peace is not found in comfort.

Big idea - Peace is an unwavering trust that rests in God’s goodness despite the circumstances.

Peace is what happens on the inside as your soul is intermingled with faith.

Peace is resting in God’s goodness in the midst of difficulty.

Peace believes that life will be difficult, bad things are going to happen that are out of our control,

but that ultimately God is in control and that God is good.

Peace is resting in God’s goodness.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 says it this way.

And John 14:27 tells us where this miraculous peace comes from. It doesn come from within us.

Jesus says this ... John 14:27

Jesus, and the Spirit of Jesus, is the source of all the Fruit of the Spirit, especially peace.

Transition - God in his great love and grace removes those character flaws in our life that hinder us from peace.

He does that through a refiners fire.

A refiner is someone who removes impurities from metal.

How does a refiner remove impurities from metal?

He uses a crucible.

What is a crucible?

Picture

An iron or ceramic pot or cup that holds metal while it is melting. It has to be able to withstand an immense amount of heat.

-When the metal melts the slag or impurities come to the top and are skimmed or poured off.

-One of the themes in scripture is how God will help us become more holy - more pure - set apart by refining us. This refining is done in our lives by the heat of testing.

Bible verses about refining.

Isaiah 48:10 ESV

10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

1 Peter 1:7 ESV

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Story Tell ...

In our passage in Daniel today 3 men Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego are placed through a crucible. The heat is turned up in their life. They are tested.

What we find out about them is that they are men that have deep faith and extraordinary peace. Pause

The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar made a Golden Image with a height of 9 Stories tall.

This massive idol was made outside of the capital city of Babylon in a huge plain.

King Nebuchadnezzar brought in officials from all over Babylon (hundreds of miles) to come and bow before this massive idol.

Why did Nebuchadnezzar worship this idol?

Marduk - We think the statue was an idol of Marduk the greatest of Babylonian God’s

He was the Zeus of the Babylonian Pantheon. He was the king of the lesser gods. He was a God of war. Powerful.

He would give those who worshiped him victory in battle.

Another reason Nebuchadnezzar wanted his 9 story gold idol worshiped was because Nebuchadnezzar is a proud man.

Making this idol is one of the ways that he can show off his wealth.

This idol makes the King look prestigious.

This idol worship serves the King.

It makes him look good.

It brings him more honor.

It impresses others.

Pause

After all the officials had been gathered from across the land and made it to this plain with this massive idol,

Instruments would play. & that was your signal.

You were to get down on your knees and bow before this golden god.

As planned the band played & gave the signal, as expected the people bowed, and the King was proud.

But everyone didn’t bow. There were 3 that didn’t bow.

3 Jews - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Several Chaldeans came and told Nebuchadnezzar that the 3 Jews didn’t bow down.

These Chaldeans were home town boys. The great capital city and this 9 story idol were built in their State. These Chaldeans grew up loyal to Babylon and new the political system.

But these 3 Jews, they weren’t home town boys, they came in and were given very high ranking governing positions. Positions that the Chaldeans should have had.

The foreigners were taking the best jobs.

Verse 8 says that the Chaldeans “Maliciously accused the jews”.

They were quick to remind that King that the punishment for not bowing down to the idol was to be burned to death in the fiery furnace.

vs, 13 tells us that Nebuchadnezzer was full of rage.

-His god was dishonored.

-The 3 men showed the King disrespect.

- Nebuchadnezzer was shamed in front of officials from all over the land.

Transition,

-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faced a test & they passed the test.

-They experienced ...

I. The Crucible of everyone watching, Daniel 3:1-13

Would they have peace about obeying, remaining standing, doing the right thing … when everyone was watching.

-It is one thing to do the right thing when you are by yourself.

-It can be another thing to do the right thing when it makes you stand out.

Rowland, Camron, Alissa

This year at school, will you choose to do the right thing when everyone is watching?

Adults, Some of you have have friends in this town that you have known all your life.

You play your roll in these relationships.

Will you do the right thing when everyone is watching, knowing that your obedience is going to upset others?

With Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego it was not just everyone watching, it was the most important people watching. The prominent, the popular, those who rule, the police chiefs, Sheriffs, the mayors, governors, congressmen, the Court Justices, the cabinet members, the bureaucrats.

- The people who will take note and who have the ability to make your life miserable.

God calls you to peace in the face of everyone watching.

Peace is an unwavering trust that rests in God’s goodness despite the circumstances.

Story tell,

King Nebuchadnezzar gives them a second chance.

He says, Read verse 15

Repeat last sentence of vs. 15

“...Who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

In pride and confidence in his power the King asserts himself as having the power over the lives of the 3.

King Nebuchadnezzar knows of the Jewish religion. He has heard of the Jewish God. He knows these 3 are different.

He has no respect for the God of the Bible. Friends, he had no respect for your God.

Transition - There is a new crucible that these 3 God followers faced.

The heat of the crucible will be turned up from them risking the respect of others to risking their lives.

They are experiencing the ...

II. The Crucible of facing death, vs 14-15

Remember that...

Peace is an unwavering trust that rests in God’s goodness despite the circumstances.

I want to share with you a video of someone who experienced peace in the face of death.

Watch this video.

Peace is an unwavering trust that rests in God’s goodness despite the circumstances.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were threatened with death, did their heart rate increase? Yes

Did they think, I really don’t want to die? Yes

Did they fear the pain of the fire? Yes

But - Did they have peace because they knew they did the right thing? Yes

Peace is not the absence of pressure or stress.

Peace is faith THAT RESTS in the goodness of God amidst the stress.

Illustration -

In the book of Mark, Jesus directs his disciples to take him across the see of Galilee on a small boat.

Being completely exhausted Jesus falls asleep in the back of the boat.

A violent storm arises when they are in the middle of this giant lake.

Waves are breaking over the sides of the boat.

The disciples have no peace. They fear for their lives.

BUT - Jesus is not just exhausted. He is at perfect peace because He is the Prince of Peace.

Jesus does a miracle. He calms the storm. He brings peace to the wind and water.

One thing that many people miss is that Jesus not only calmed the storm, but He led the disciples into the storm.

Jesus was less concerned with the disciples comfort, and most concerned with their holiness.

He wanted them to grow spiritually.

He was heating up the crucible.

The same is true in your life as well isn’t it?

Jesus is less concerned with your comfort, and more concerned with your holiness.

He desires for you to experience peace while you are in the storm.

Peace is an unwavering trust that rests in God’s goodness despite the circumstances.

Are you resting in God’s goodness despite the hurt and the difficulty in your life?

There some in this room right now that God wants to bring peace into your life.

What difficult situation in you life does God want you to find peace and rest in Him?

Transition - The final test for our 3 Jews is having ...

III. The crucible of demanding obedience, vs. 16-23

After the King gives them a second chance

-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego hear the threat of the king. If you do not bow down you will be thrown into the fiery furnace. vs. 16-18

These 3 said, We must obey God rather than man.

Wouldn’t it be easier for them to say among themselves,

“We will bow, but not worship in our hearts.”

“God will understand.”

“God will give grace because we have been his witnesses in this evil Kingdom.”

This was difficult obedience. It was life or death.

Here is the attitude of these 3 men.

“Jesus is better.”

I would rather die serving Christ, than live serving self.

They had peace during demanding obedience.

They chose the pleasure of pleasing God over the pleasures of the Kingdom of Babylon.

PAUSE

In his fury King Nebuchadnezzar had the furnace heated as hot as it would go.

Now, There are historians that believe that even Nebuchadnezzar had a religious and line he would not cross..

In Ancient Iranian tradition, Fire was never to be used for execution.

In old Persian religion, that existed during this time, there was a fire angel who was highly honored.

To keep the fire angel happy there was fragrant smelling wood that would always be burning in the Fire Angel’s Temples.

Fire was one of the essential elements of the earth and...

Fire was a symbol of purity.

Some people of that time even believed that fire itself was a God.

And here in this plain of worship was a 9 story tall golden statue and also a furnace of fire.

Possibly a furnace of worship.

It is possible that these 3 were thrown in the fire, not to kill them, but to allow the fire god to test their purity of intent.

-If they passed the test of purity, they would live after being thrown into the fire.

The reality is this. No one expected anyone to come out of that fire.

Conclusion - When asked to follow God in the most difficult of obedience these 3 men choose God.

Application -

Question, Is there a sinful pleasure that you are bowing down to rather than choosing the pleasure of God?

-Today God is challenging you with obedience even when it is difficult.

Some of you are facing a difficult obedience.

-At work, will you do the honest thing?

-Within your family, will you stand up and lead for the Lord.

-Will you continue on going along with or ignoring the sin in your life, or will you do the right thing.

-Are you willing to obey, even though in means taking a risk in a job or a relationship?

Pause

Story tell

Read verse 19-23

Then a great miracle takes place - The King looks into this fire. He doesn’t see 3 men, He sees 4, no one is in pain, They are walking around.

The 4th man - “is like a son of the gods.”

-The Son of God shows up. God in flesh visits these men, protects them and strengthens them.

When the 3 came out they weren’t hurt, not burned, even their clothes did not smell like smoke.

Transition - Here is what we see. That...

IV. The Prince of Peace stands with me in the midst of the crucible.

Inside the furnace Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego weren’t looking at the flames, they were looking at Jesus.

We have to also remember that Jesus doesn’t leave you alone in the crucible,

He stand with you in the crucible because He loves you.

You can have peace because Jesus stands with you.

Will you choose to trust and Rest In the goodness of God despite your circumstances?

Transition - We will close by answering this question.

Who withstood the greatest crucible?

V. Christ endured the crucible of the cross so you could have peace.

The Gospel is this...

Jesus went to the Cross to take the penalty of your sins on himself.

At the cross Jesus took on agony and turmoil.

The Father turned his face away from the sin that Jesus had taken on himself.

Jesus felt like His Father had forsaken Him.

“Jesus cried out to the Father, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.”

Jesus took on the wrath of God, so He could bring peace & forgiveness to you.

He is the Prince of Peace.

He did this because He loves you.

Do you love Him?

If you have not already, will you say “yes to Him right now and follow Him with all of your life?

Pause

There is an old saying my father told me years ago.

No Christ, No Peace

If you Know Christ, you will Know Peace

Pray